McCarty Comes Out on Top

Northwest Junior Improves to 19-0, Helps Jaguars to Title

Northwest's Jason Edwards pinned host Springbrook's Jason Chan and won the 119-pound division. (Photos By Toni L. Sandys -- The Washington Post)

The 125-pound division at the Grapple at the Brook wrestling tournament never really was in question. Northwest junior Sean McCarty was hoping the event's random seeding system would allow him enough matches to take the team lead in pins.

It didn't -- but that was about the only disappointment on the mats this weekend for McCarty, who improved to 19-0 in the final by pinning Frederick's Adam Dietrich in 34 seconds. McCarty's 10 pins are second on the Jaguars; 103-pounder Michael Henning holds the team lead with 11.

"It makes the regular season a little more interesting for me," McCarty said.

Northwest had seven finalists and two champions to win the tournament title, beating host Springbrook, which had its best finish in the tournament's nine years, by 23 1/2 points.

McCarty's challenge will come at the state tournament, where he likely will square off against Old Mill's Greg Saumenig. Saumenig has beaten McCarty in the state tournament each of the past two seasons, knocking him off in the semifinals last year and the quarterfinals the year before.

McCarty was called for stalling in the third period, giving Saumenig the decisive point in a 3-2 win last year.

"I just froze," McCarty said. "I feel like I've got to get that mental block out of my head. If I wrestle my match, I should be able to beat anybody. I've got to get over that hump and take states this year."

Northwest got over a team hump yesterday after experiencing disappointment at the tournament last season, when the Jaguars were declared Grapple at the Brook champions at day's end. But after a computer glitch was discovered, it was revealed that Walt Whitman was in fact the winner with Northwest in third. Northwest Coach Joe Vukovich recalled having to drive the trophy to the house of good friend and Whitman Coach Andy Wetzel.

"This one is ours," said Northwest's Jason Edwards, the tournament 119-pound champion. "This year, we secured it, for sure."

Grapple at the Brook Individual Champs: Reservoir's Ben O'Keefe (103), Sherwood's Alex Hakspiel (112), Sherwood's Andy Lowy (130), Sherwood's Rhett Beattie (135), Springbrook's Joffrey Alcidor (140), Sherwood's Steven Gamble (145), Smithsburg's Justin Hovermale (152), Springbrook's Jordan Dow (160), Wheaton's David Foreman (171), Eleanor Roosevelt's Chris McCaslin (189), Springbrook's Paul Milano (215) and Frederick's Travis Bowie (275). Blow for Whitman: The Vikings lost their second defending state champion to injury in a week, when 119-pounder Will Sharbaugh broke a bone in his left hand during his first match of the tournament, which he still won with a pin. This follows the knee injury last weekend to senior 160-pounder Eren Civan. Coach Andy Wetzel is hopeful Sharbaugh can return for the county championships.